Sarina Wiegman's side will be out for revenge in Basel on Sunday, taking on the team that beat them in the 2023 Women's World Cup final
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On Sunday, the two pre-tournament favourites to win the 2025 European Championship will clash in the final in Basel, as England and Spain face off in a rematch of the game which decided the 2023 Women's World Cup. It will be the third meeting between these two sides this year, after the pair traded narrow wins by one-goal margins in the Nations League in the first half of 2025. It's perfectly set up, really.
Spain will go into the game as slight favourites. La Roja are the reigning world champions, after all, and they have had the better year overall, starting in the Nations League where they topped their group ahead of England. That has continued through Euro 2025, where they won all of their first four games in 90 minutes before beating Germany in extra-time in the semi-finals.
The Lionesses, meanwhile, have hit a few more bumps in the road. Sarina Wiegman's side only won three of their six Nations League fixtures and have rode their luck through the knockout stages at this tournament. Still, the resilience on show has been excellent and that will certainly be needed again if the European champions are to beat Spain to retain their title.
What else will England need to deny La Roja the trophy they so crave? GOAL picks out six things the Lionesses must do on Sunday to emerge victorious…
Getty Images SportRefresh the XI
England have had an incredibly demanding route through to this final, with two lots of extra-time in their legs from the quarter-finals and semi-finals, and Sunday is going to give them their toughest test yet. While possession was more evenly split in those two outings, and ended up in the Lionesses’ favour, Spain will dominate this final, putting the impetus on England to press and harry to win it back, with there also sure to be moments when the reigning champions have to sit in and soak up pressure.
It’s a game that is going to require plenty of energy and hard work then, which is why it would be wise for Wiegman to freshen up her starting XI. England have begun with the same midfield three since the second group-stage game, and it is that area of the team that is going to need to be freshest, in order to keep up with Patri Guijarro, Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati. But there are other positions that would certainly benefit from new blood, too, as the entire XI is going to have to put in an almighty defensive shift while still having the energy to spark into life in attack.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTighten up at the back
It sounds so simple, but England have to be good defensively in order to emerge victorious on Sunday. It’s been the Lionesses’ big weakness through Euro 2025, particularly on the left where they lack a natural full-back option.
Wiegman has addressed this to an extent over the course of the tournament, swapping Jess Carter and Alex Greenwood around before replacing the former with Esme Morgan last time out. It feels like a bigger change, such as a permanent switch to 3-5-2, would’ve helped more though, as the problems have persisted.
Mariona Caldentey will likely play down Spain’s right on Sunday, which will be a real challenge for England. Caldentey’s movement is world-class and she will aim to drag the defence out of position plenty. Backed up by Ona Batlle’s attack-minded approach from right-back, the Lionesses are going to have to dig in and prove everyone wrong in defence this weekend.
Getty ImagesPack central areas
It’s not just on the defence to thwart Spain, though. It’ll be vital for the wingers to track back and help out, too, but perhaps most important will be the work of the midfield. There is not a better trio in that area of the park than Spain’s, with Guijarro, Putellas and Bonmati all world-class and, crucially, boasting incredible chemistry from all their years together at Barcelona.
As Germany showed on Wednesday, though, it’s harder for them to be effective when they are crowded out and given no space to attack. Again, this is where a 3-5-2 set-up would certainly help England, as it would pack those central areas out even more. Still, it’s something they can achieve in the 4-3-3 shape Wiegman has preferred through the tournament, albeit only with great discipline and focus.
Getty ImagesExploit leaky Spain defence
Look at the statistics and you might think there is not much reason to worry about Spain's defence. La Roja have conceded the joint-fewest goals at the tournament, they've conceded fewer than the expected goals data suggests they should have, they've faced the fourth-fewest shots and the fewest on target, while keeping the most clean sheets. All looks well, right? But this is an example of when the numbers don't tell the full story.
Spain’s defence is slow. It’s something that has been evident for all to see time and time again over the last couple of years in particular – most recently in the 6-2 win over Belgium in the group stage, but also through the Nations League campaign, where they didn’t keep a clean sheet, and, in perhaps the best example, during their shock 4-2 loss to Brazil in last year’s Olympic semi-final.
It’s something that causes Spain particular trouble in transition, which is how most of England’s chances are likely to come about on Sunday given La Roja will dominate possession. To get players like Lauren Hemp running at this defence, or released in behind it, is going to be key to victory.